Hussar in Croatia: Infrastructure must be viewed as an integral part of deterrence and defence
Speaking about the importance of regional connectivity at the Three Seas Initiative Summit in Croatia today, President of the Riigikogu (Parliament of Estonia) Lauri Hussar said that infrastructure must be viewed as part of deterrence and defence.
Hussar said in his speech at the plenary discussion of the Summit that while infrastructure had been viewed as an economic issue for decades, that perspective was outdated by now. “We must begin to view infrastructure as an integral part of our deterrence and defence. By investing in such key projects as Rail Baltic, Via Baltica, Via Carpatia, as well as our ports and pipelines, we are creating a more resilient and secure regional framework,” he said.
Regarding infrastructure investments, Hussar underlined the need to look further than the present moment and noted that, in addition to transporting goods and people and supporting military mobility, infrastructure must also ensure the movement of data and adapt to the challenges of climate change and, for example, cyberspace. According to him, major infrastructure projects require commitment, consistency and vision, and their success depends on the reliability of public finances and governance.
“We must ensure that resources are used efficiently, that each euro delivers value, and that cross-border projects are implemented in close cooperation,” Hussar said, and added that the Three Seas Initiative also had a major role in attracting investments – for example, in Estonia, the initiative’s investment fund had supported the Greenergy Data Centre project.
The main topics of the Summit held in Dubrovnik were improving transport and digital connections and strengthening energy security in the changed security situation. At the conclusion of the Summit, the heads of state adopted a Joint Declaration.
Before the plenary discussion, Hussar took part in the Three Seas Business Forum, where he spoke about improving connectivity, the security situation in Europe, and the aspiration to strengthen the voice of the Nordic Countries within the Three Seas Initiative. Tomorrow, he will attend the panel discussion of the Business Forum, where he will speak about digitalisation and the possibilities of using artificial intelligence. Hussar will also have a separate meeting with leader of democratic forces of Belarus Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya.
The Three Seas Initiative is a regional cooperation format that brings together 13 European Union Member States between the Adriatic Sea, the Baltic Sea and the Black Sea Its strategic partners are the European Commission, Germany, Japan, Spain, Türkiye, and the United States of America, and its regional partners are Albania, Moldova, Montenegro, and Ukraine. The Initiative was born in 2015 out of the wish to develop the energy, transport, and digital connections on the North-South axis of the European Union.
Photos (Erik Peinar / Chancellery of the Riigikogu)
Riigikogu Press Service
Karin Kangro
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